Harrison Ford was injured yesterday when his vintage airplane experienced engine trouble and crash-landed on a Venice golf course — an accident that could well spur efforts to close Santa Monica Airport. Ford, an experienced pilot and owner of several aircraft, plowed the yellow-and-silver plane into a fairway at Penmar golf course about 2:25 p.m. Pacific Time, shortly after takeoff. According to air traffic control recordings, he reported an engine failure to the Santa Monica tower and had been cleared to return. Authorities said Ford managed to fly over Penmar, which is on the airport's departure route and provides a swath of open space for pilots to use in emergencies. He was flying solo in a restored Ryan PT-22 Recruit, a sleek two-place monoplane built during World War II to train Army Air Forces pilots. Federal Aviation Administration records show the plane is registered to MG Aviation Inc., a Delaware company. Los Angeles firefighters said Ford, best known for his roles as Han Solo in "Star Wars" and the title character in "Indiana Jones", was conscious when they arrived. He was outside the plane being tended by several bystanders. Paramedics treated Ford at the scene and he remained hospitalized Thursday night. At an afternoon news conference, Assistant Fire Chief Patrick Butler said Ford was alert and had suffered moderate trauma. He is expected to make a full recovery, but shortly after the accident, anti-airport activists and Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Bonin, whose Westside district borders Santa Monica Airport, reiterated their positions that the embattled facility should be shut down. They contend that the airport is unsafe, and that surrounding neighborhoods are affected by noise and air pollution from flight operations. City officials have tried repeatedly to close the facility and to ban certain types of jets, but they have lost in court battles with the FAA. "Really, for me, the first concern has always been the fear of a plane falling out of the sky and landing in someone's home," Bonin said. "That has happened in the past." And those are all problems that could affect any airport - that's why many are situated either away from existing urban areas or on islands or reclaimed land situated just off the shore. It's also why flight paths are kept away from built-up areas. But our real concern here should be for Harrison Ford.
Now let's take our minds off what has been a rough week for the Star Trek community, for Manchester United landed a dramatic victory against Newcastle United yesterday morning thanks to Ashley Young's 89th-minute winner to crucially maintain a position in the Barclays Premier League top four. The Reds had plenty of chances to win the game at St James' Park before Young struck a minute from time, but found Newcastle United goalkeeper Tim Krul, a key member of Louis van Gaal’s Netherlands World Cup squad, in top form. His opposite number David De Gea was also forced into a handful of good saves, none more so than an injury-time block from Papiss Cisse, but the collection of three points could prove huge for United on a night when their fellow top-four rivals all won. Three players were yellow-carded.
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